Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide for Reeves County, Trans-Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

TOP STORIES

January 20, 1998

Protesters to gather at Sierra Blanca

By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer

SIERRA BLANCA, January 20, 1998 - Residents of Sierra Blanca
expect to be joined by citizens from diverse parts of Texas
today to protest the proposed nuclear waste dump to be
located in Sierra Blanca. A series of licensing hearings,
which are also to be held in El Paso and Austin, Tx, begin
tomorrow, Jan. 21, at the Sierra Blanca Public Library and
continue there until Friday, Jan. 23.

At noon today, according to officials at the Sierra Blanca
Legal Defense Fund, a "Gov, Stop the Dump!" rally was held
outside the entrance of the proposed waste site. Judges of
the State Office of Administrative Hearings, and other
parties to the hearing -including media representatives -are
toured the site at 12:30 p.m. today.

A march is also set for this evening that will be led by
Father Mata of Our Lady of Miracles Catholic Church. The
march will proceed from the church to the public library,
where a public vigil will be held.

"This [compact] is being forced down the throats of the
community because it is predominately low-income and
Mexican-American," said Erin Rogers, a volunteer with the
defense fund. "The entire citing process was unfair."

According to the defense fund, the fact that the dump's
proposed location is within an active earthquake region and
atop an underground fault, situated over an aquifer, and is
only 16 miles from the Rio Grande, an international river,
disqualifies it as a perspective nuclear dump site.

The Texas-Maine-Vermont Radioactive Compact, that passed the
House of Representatives on Oct. 7, 1997, with a vote of
309-107, is now before the U.S. Senate as Senate Bill 270.
Both Texas Senators Kay Baily Hutchinson and Phil Gramm
support the compact.

Senator Hutchinson, while concerned with the location of the
site, does support the compact as it stands in Senate Bill
270. "That is provided that the other state representatives
[from Maine and Vermont] support it and it has the support
of Governor Bush, which it does," said Hutchinson's Press
Secretary Joel Cassidy.

The compact allows for the state of Texas to enter into a
contract with the states of Maine and Vermont for the
construction of a low-level radioactive waste site in Texas.
The proposed location for the site is in Sierra Blanca,
situated within Hudspeth County, 90 miles east of El Paso,
and is to be constructed with funds provided by the states
of Maine and Vermont. After construction, the state of Texas
will then be responsible for maintaining the site.

As the bill now stands, the Governor of Texas will be able
to appoint a compact commission that would have the
authority to make contracts with any other U.S. states for
the disposal of their nuclear waste at the Sierra Blanca
site.

Congressman Bonilla, who represents Sierra Blanca, is in
opposition to the bill.

First Baptist burglarized

PECOS, January 20, 1998 - First Baptist Church was broken
into at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, according to Pecos
Police Department Investigator Kelly Davis.

There was someone in the church at the time, Davis said, and
they called the police when they heard a sound like a door
closing.

The person or persons who broke into the church gained entry
to the building by breaking a window.

Davis said that a telephone and possibly other items were
stolen. Church officials are still looking to see if any
other items are missing, he said, so the investigation is
not complete at this time. If you have any information on
this crime, please call the police department at 445-4911.

Livestock sale brings in less than 1997

By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer

PECOS, January 20, 1998 - This year's Reeves-Loving Co. Jr.
Livestock Sale brought in $53,000, an $8,400 decrease from
last year, according to Linda Gentry, the bookkeeper for the
event, with the highest sum ($2,200) going to Courtney
Clark, whose Grand Champion steer was purchased by Security
State Bank.

Kellee Bagley received $1,600 from the Champion Club for her
Grand Champion lamb, and David Bradley netted a total of
$1,550 from Garland Roustabout, from Pyote, Tx., for his
Grand Champion hog. And top price for a goat went to Amanda
Orozco, who gained $750 for her Grand Champion Goat from
Pecos Valley Field Service.

Steers other than the Grand Champion went for anywhere
between $1,250 and $1,800. Lambs went from $450 to $850,
Hogs sold from $450 to $750, and goats seemed to average
around $500-$600, if you discount the sale of Amanda
Armstrong's second place Heavy Weight to Armstrong Oil and
Gas -Royce Creager Pumping -for $1,025.

Last year's sale brought in $61,400 ($8,400 more than this
year), but the Grand Champion Steer fetched $200 more this
year. Clark, who placed the Grand Champ last year also,
received an even $2,000 for her Simmental steer. Prices for
other Grand Champions were minimally decreased from a year
ago. The Grand Champion hog sold for $50 less, the Grand
Champion lamb sold for $50 less, but the Grand Champion goat
(again shown by Amanda Orozco) went for $50 more this year.

State candidates meet the public

PECOS, January 20, 1998 - All three candidates for U.S.
Representative, District 23, were on hand for the
meet-the-candidates chili supper held recently.

The three also drew for a place on the ballot and their
names will appear as follows: Allen Rindfuss, Joseph P.
(Joe) Sullivan and Charlie Urbina Jones.

Rindfuss told the group at the Reeves County Civic Center,
that he had worked for Coca-Cola, AT&T during the Olympics
and that finally he had visited South America.

"I wanted to learn how to speak Spanish, to make myself a
better candidate for this position," said Rindfuss. "I made
a lot of friends and in the last month have come back to run
for office, I have put myself in a position to make money,
but yet still have the time to run," he said.

Rindfuss was eliminated in the first round, the last time
the group ran for the same position.

"You might be asking why I want to do this again, part of it
is because I'm stubborn and part of it is because I believe
in what I'm trying to do, I like to get involved, and stay
involved in common causes," said Rindfuss.

Rindfuss spoke to the group about the special projects he is
currently involved with and that he sponsors, including vote
smart and campaign finance reform.

"I want to talk about what we can do together," said
Sullivan.

Sullivan's name will appear second on the ballot under this
particular office.

Sullivan told the group he was a college professor, who
teaches psychology at San Antonio College. He has two
children in college, does crisis counseling, is a business
man, real-estate broker, minister and is retired from the U.
S. Air Force.

"My main priority is education, because I've seen what
people can do," said Sullivan. "I would like to see each
child in American get an equal opportunity to receive an
education," he said.

Sullivan also stated that he would like to see better
educated teachers, so that they in turn can better teach the
children.

"My opponent wants to solve the border problem by sending
our troops out there, but it's amazing because he's never
even been in the military," said Sullivan.

Sullivan said there are too many congressmen that are
self-serving.

"I believe in service, if you give me this one term, you
might want to try me again," he said.

Jones attended Sul Ross State University, received a degree
from St. Mary's University and is a veteran.

"I have taught school, so I know how it is with children,"
said Jones.

Jones stated that he has also worked as a family lawyer, and
in the juvenile system.

"How many years has an elderly person been told he has to go
to HMO, do we draw the line here, the buck stops here,"
Jones said.

Jones told the group that elderly people are getting taken
advantage of by the HMO system and they are not getting the
appropriate care they need.

Jones also spoke about the dump in Sierra Blanca. "You
should be angry, let them know how you feel about it," he
said.

Both candidates for the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2,
also spoke to the large crowd at the civic center.

In a short speech, Wes Harpham told the group that he felt
he could do a good job and would work well with law
enforcement.

Incumbent J.T. Marsh, stated that he has been J.P. for that
precinct for the past 20 years. "All of the officers know
that I will come out any time I am needed, day or night,"
said Marsh.

Marsh told the group he has appreciated the support he has
been given in the past and hopes he can continue to serve
the public.

Three out of four candidates for the position of Justice of
the Peace, Precinct 3, were on hand for the event.

Joel Madrid, who was not present, will appear first on the
ballot.

David Vejil, whose name will appear second, stated that he
is available at all times, has three grown children and no
ties. He is retired from the postal service. "I am available
at all times and will come out and do a good job," said
Vejil.

Rosendo Carrasco, entertained the crowd, with a short story
about his 5-year-old grandson. "After looking at my picture
in the paper, he asked my wife, why I was in the paper,"
said Carrasco. "She told him why and he said, `but grandma,
he can't run, he'll lose.'"

"So, I probably already have this race lost," said Carrasco.

Carrasco stated that the reason he is running for the
position, is because a lot of people have come up to him and
asked him to do so.

Carrasco was the J.P. for that precinct years ago and people
liked the way he ran things. He resigned from that post in
1987.

"What I did at that time, I felt was the right thing," said
Carrasco.

Carrasco stated that if elected he will have his office
behind his store which is open seven days a week, for the
convenience of the public.

"I will be available at all times and will be dependable,"
he said.

Janell Ward, stated that she wants to make the community the
best place that she can.

"I'll be on call 24 hours a day, because that's what I feel
the J.P. job is," said Ward.

Ward stated that there are beepers, cell phones and other
means of communication, which will enable her to be
accessible to the public at all times.

Delinquent Tax Suits Filed

PECOS, January 20, 1998 - The following delinquent tax suits
were filed Dec. 29, 1997, by Calame Linebarger Graham &
Pena, L.L.P. in behalf of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
Independent School District.

OBITUARIES

Helen Gregory

Helen Gregory, 79, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 1998, at her
residence in Pecos.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday,
Jan. 21, at Mount Evergreen Cemetery with Rev. Jim Daniels
officiating.

She was born March 14, 1918, in Venita, Okla. and was a
homemaker.

Survivors include numerous friends.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mona Mauldin

Services are incomplete for Mona Mauldin, 47, who died
Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, at Reeves County Hospital.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WEATHER

PECOS, January 20, 1998 - A cold front is expected to bring
the current warming trend to an end on Wednesday.

But another day of pleasant weather was in store before the
front arrives with colder temperatures and some showers. It
will be partly cloudy in West Texas where there is a chance
of some light showers tonight in extreme western portions
and across all of the area on Wednesday. Lows tonight will
be in the 20s in the Panhandle and in the 30s and 40s
elsewhere in West Texas.

Highs Wednesday will be in the 40s in the Panhandle and in
the 50s and 60s over the rest of West Texas.